Electronic Blackboard System

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to an electronic blackboard system suited to the production of hard-copy of pieces of information written on an information writing board such as a white board or a blackboard.

2. Description of the Prior Art

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a conventional electronic blackboard system. FIG. 2 is a side view of the electronic blackboard system illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a flow of signals in the electronic blackboard system of FIG. 1. In the figures, the reference numeral 1 stands from an information writing board; the numeral 2 denotes a guide rail laid horizontally on the upper edge of the information writing board 1; 3 represents a photoelectric conversion device having its one end supported on the guide rail 2 in such a manner that a photoelectric device is movable from side to side, this photoelectric device including a longitudinally formed CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor, a light receiving part disposed in front of this sensor and light emission diodes (LEDs) arranged in a line on the sides of the light receiving part; 4 designates a driving unit, fitted to both ends of the photoelectric device 3, for moving the photoelectric device 3 leftwardly and rightwardly in synchronism with each other; 5 denotes a positional detector consisting of a LED and a photosensor which stand face to face with respect to each other, this positional detector serving to detect the fact that tongue pieces 2a provided at both ends of the guide rail 2 are interposed between the LED and the photosensor; 6 designates a signal cable connected to a power source (not illustrated); 7 stands for a buffer memory for storing image information sent from the photoelectric device 3; 8 denotes a hard-copy device such as a printer or the like; and 9 represents a stand equipped with a vertical frame 9a and a guide rail 9b the vertical frame serving as a supporter for the guide rail 2, the buffer memory 7 and the hard-copy device 8 and the guide rail part 9b supporting the lower end of the driving unit 4, this stand stably supporting the entire system on the floor.

Next, the operation of the conventional electronic blackboard system illustrated in FIG. 1 will be described. In the electronic blackboard system constructed in the above-described manner, the photoelectric device 3 to be employed is of a so-called closely contactual type where the light receiving part and the LEDs are spaced slightly away from an information input face. This device 3 serves to read the information written on the information writing board 1 along the longitudinal lines and convert the thus read information into electrical signals. The photoelectric device 3 is transferred leftwardly or rightwardly at a given velocity by means of the driving unit 4 and is then halted at a position in which the positional detector 5 detects the presence of the tongue pieces 2a, i.e., this device 3 stops at the left or right end of the information writing board 1. In this way, when the photoelectric device 3 is transferred from the left end of the information writing board 1 to the right end thereof and vice versa, the image information equivalent to one picture is obtained from the CCD image sensor which constitutes the photoelectric device 3. Subsequent to the storage of the image information in the buffer memory 7, the image information is recorded by the hard-copy device 8.

The conventional electronic blackboard system is thus constructed, and hence the information writing board 1 and the stand 9 are so disposed as to be constitutively (or essentially) associated with other components like the guide rail 2, the driving unit 4 and so on. The conventional electric blackoard system is prepared for exclusive use and is incapable of enabling read-out from an existing white board or blackboard mounted on a wall.

It is a primary object of the present invention to obviate the above-described problems by providing an electronic blackboard system suitable for an information writing board such as a white board or a blackboard, even one hanging on a wall, this electronic blackboard system requiring no specially designed information writing board and stand.

To this end, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic blackboard system characterized in that: a photoelectric conversion device is movable left and right along a guide rail; right and left angle members for supporting the guide rail are fixed to the information writing board or the wall surface to define a positional correlation between the photoelectric conversion device and the information writing board; and a memory and a hard-copy device are contained in a discrete box.

The electronic blackboard system according to the present invention has the angle members (angle bars) defined as fittings which are attached to the information writing board the angle member supporting the guide rail. With such an arrangement the electronic blackboard system maintains the positional correlation between the photoelectric conversion device and the information writing board with the aid of rollers provided at the lower end. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become evident on reading the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a conventional electronic blackboard system;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the electronic blackboard system depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a flow of signals in the electronic blackboard system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view of an electronic blackboard system, showing one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a view showing in detail the side surface of the electronic blackboard system illustrated in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a front view of an electronic blackboard system, illustrating one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a view illustrating in detail the side surface of the electronic blackboard system of FIG. 4. In FIGS. 4 and 5 the reference numeral 11 denotes an information writing board, the numeral 12 designates a guide rail, 13 stands for a photoelectric conversion device, and 14 represents a driving unit. The driving unit 14 is composed of a motor 14a, a plurality of rollers 14b connected through a power transmission system to this motor 14a idler rollers 14c and 14d and an idler roller 14e provided at the lower end of the photoelectric device 13. The rollers 14b and 14c are so disposed that the guide rail 12 is vertically sandwiched in between these rollers. The roller 14d is laid to serve as a guide in the to-and-fro direction, this roller coming in contact with the inner surface opposite the guide rail 12. The roller 14d rolls while remaining in contact with the guide rail 12.

The numeral 21 represents a bracket provided at the lower portion of the driving unit 14 and the numeral 22 denotes a bracket provided at the upper portion of the photoelectric device 13. The numeral 23 designates a connecting shaft for rotatably connecting these brackets 21 and 22 to each other. The position of placement of the connecting shaft 23 is so set that rotary forces are produced about the connecting shaft 23, these forces acting in the direction in which the photoelectric device 3 approaches the information writing board 11 by virtue of its own weight.

The numeral 15 designates a positional detector, numeral 16 represents a signal cable, 17 denotes a buffer memory, and 18 stands for a hard-copy device. The numeral 20 designates angle irons (angle bars) defined as attachment plates which are fastened to the information writing board 11 with(for instance screws. The rail 12 is secured to the angle irons 20 by employing for example, screws.

In the thus constructed electronic blackboard system according to the present invention, the angle irons 20 are mounted on the information writing board 11. The guide rail 12 is fixed to the angle irons 20. The photoelectric device 13 is attached to the driving unit 15 which travels on the guide rail 12(thereby determining the positioned correlation between the information writing board 11 and the photoelectric conversion device 13.

When this type of electronic blackboard system is fitted to an existing white board or blackboard secured to a wall, there may arise a problem relative to the positional correlation. In either case, the angle irons are attached to the information writing board 11 by moving them up or down or the guide rail 12 is secured to the angle irons 20 by moving it vertically while adjusting the reading region of the information writing board 11, whereby a predetermined reading region XY can be assured. The information writing board 11 and the photoelectric device 13 are disposed with a predetermined spacing between them. This spacing can also be assured by the contact of the roller 14e provided at the lower portion of the photoelectric conversion device 13.

Since the buffer memory 17 and the hard-copy device 18 may be placed on the floor there is no direct association with the blackboard or the white board hanging on the wall.

As clarified by the description given above the present invention provides the following effect: The angle irons are easily mounted on the upper surface of an existing white board or blackboard hanging on a wall to serve as fittings. The guide rail is also easily secured to the angle irons. Thus the positional correlation between the photoelectric device and the information writing board is easily maintained so that the information written on an existing board, even if attached to a wall is readable photoelectrically.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be created without departing from the spirit and scope thereof it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claim.